1896 should I or shouldn't I

[buellsfurn]

So I got a next to free 1896 Krag $100.00 about 6 7 months ago as a bring back to original Krag . I can not find anything on this peep sight and thinking at the cost of Krag parts and thanks to the Corona work is pretty slow to almost nothing currently I cant afford to pay attention I may not want to put money into this one and hold out for the next one. From what I was told on another sight some early Krags had peep sight from what I understand this one is position/placed incorrectly so Its likely a after market sight.
48588

[lyman]

do me a favor and make a few more posts w\o pics,

the forum software is a bit paranoid, so newbies with attachments (pics) go to a moderator cue, and I (or another mod) have to look it over and approve it,
I think that stops after 10,


point being I generally am on here a couple times a day, but not always,


anyhoo,

that is a Redfield or Lyman receiver sight,

nice to have, but it also turns the rifle to a sporter,

iffin it was my gun, I would refinish that stock,
clean up the rifle as best I could,

put it back together and shoot it, or hunt it,


either way, you got way less in it that it will be worth cleaned up,

BTW, it's been reblued too

[Ned Butts]

Could be a nodrill sight more posts/pictures will help. Restoration can be a money pit but with patience can be done reasonably. Take the sight of and see if the receiver has been drilled.

[lyman]

it's not a no drill,

push the button on the back of the base and the arm should slide up and off,

the sight number may be visible just above that button,

there will be one or 2 screws on the side, one (if not both) under the arm,

[jon_norstog]

That is probably not a rifle you should restore. The receiver stampings are not too crisp-looking, it might have been buffed out on a wheel and reblued. The stock! What can I say! OTOH, that is a really good sight if you are going to hunt or shoot targets. If the barrel is good you got a bargain on a rifle you can shoot and hunt and never worry 'bout messing it up.

Good luck!

jn

[buellsfurn]

will do no pics and Thanks for the input Lance

[buellsfurn]

left plate is drill threw into receiver looks like a Q mark cant post pics yet forum rules (newbie)

[buellsfurn]

No button its another screw but yes to more crews on the side

[lyman]

left plate is drill threw into receiver looks like a Q mark cant post pics yet forum rules (newbie)

post away, I'll approve them if need be

[butlersrangers]

'buellsfurn' - Welcome to the forum. I share the thoughts of others that this Krag is beyond restoration to original form.
It is certainly a candidate for clean-up and use as a hunting rifle.

Your Receiver 'peep' Sight is an 'after-market' Redfield model 70-KT.

The "K" stands for Krag and the "T" stands for target-knobs.

There is no button to 'quick-release' the elevation-slide. The slide has to be removed or raised high to take the bolt out of the rifle.

This sight is no longer made and 'used' ones often sell for $100-$125 on ebay

(It is called a "No-Drill" sight because no new holes or gun-smith services were needed to install it.
The sight is mounted by using a longer Redfield side-plate screw and a sheet-metal plate,
that hooks into a hole that once housed the Magazine Cut-Off).

4859148590

[lyman]

thanks for the clarification on the sight

[JimF]

. . . .4859148590

Many thanks for these pics . . . .

With my Krag, instead of cutting off the head of the NOW VALUABLE cut-off, I made a new copy of the “shank” of it.

Easy to do, and kept the valuable original.

I always thought Redfield should have included a pin in the box!

Back then, I guess they thought the original was “expendable.”

[butlersrangers]

Redfield instructions 'evolved' over the years. Initially, they simply said to "throw away the cut-off lever".

Eventually, it was realized that the absence of the flat surface of the cut-off shaft can add a rough spot to the cartridge feed-path.

BTW - People were reluctant to throw away gun parts!
I have bought several old Redfield sight boxes in which the original owner stored the discarded cut-off and side-plate screw.

I totally agree with 'JimF' on making a replacement 'shaft' and not destroying an original Cut-Off Assembly.

[buellsfurn]

thank You sir I was wondering about cut off lever

[buellsfurn]

I'm probably going to clean it up and shoot. A buddy of mine has a gun shop and lets me know when he gets something in I may be interested in but its usually the project rifles I'm ok with that things are getting a little harder to get these days Thank you

[buellsfurn]

PS love the old add stuff Thanks again Lance